Cardinal O’Hara starts fast, cruises by Lansdale Catholic in PCL quarters

SPRINGFIELD >> The Cardinal O’Hara girls basketball team sandwiched two three-pointers around an inbounds pass that Lansdale Catholic could not complete in five seconds in the first minute of the game. That was a sign of things to come.

The Lions scored the first 16 points of the game en route to a 70-33 win in the quarterfinals of the Philadelphia Catholic League playoffs at Cardinal O’Hara High School Thursday night.

“We shot it, man, we shot it,” O’Hara coach Linus McGinty said.

“(Lansdale Catholic) played us real tough here last time (57-39 O’Hara win on Jan. 5) … The kids are getting a little more mature. We are still pretty young.”

The first quarter lead ballooned to 18, 27-9, and the Crusaders were never able to make it a game after that.

“They came out on fire,” LC coach Joe Mack said. “They made a lot of shots. I think when you play away and a team comes out firing like that, it takes a little out of you. We came out confident and I think (the start) took a little bit of our confidence away.”

Mackenzie Gardler led O’Hara in scoring with 23 points, 10 of which came in the first quarter. Hannah Nihill scored seven of her 11 in the opening eight minutes and Mary Sheehan five of her fifteen.

The Lions saw nine different players score and six of them make shots from beyond the arc.

“We’re very athletic and we shoot the ball,” McGinty said. “We have five or six kids shoot threes. As long as we defend and rebound we’re pretty good.

“And we have four or five kids who can handle … I love our kids.”

The Lions totaled 10 threes in the game, four of which came in the first quarter. Additionally, they made 16 two-point baskets and went 8-for-13 from the free-throw line.

O’Hara faceS Archbishop Wood in the semifinals Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. at Philadelphia University. When the teams played earlier this season in January at Wood, O’Hara won by two, 48-46.

Kim Talley led Lansdale Catholic in scoring with 13 points, Lauren Crim added seven and Abby Ward five.

LC made 15 field goals in the game — none of which were from three-point land — and went 3-for-6 from the free-throw line.

The Crusaders loss ends their season, one in which Mack will not soon forget.

“I love the effort these girls gave all season,” he said. “I’m proud to be their coach. I have learned a lot from this group. I can’t say enough good things about them.”